Hammerhead Karoo Review
There are two buckets of bike gear: the kind you buy frequently and the kind you buy once. Requiring tons of research to buy "the right thing," these items usually come with a bigger price tag, some all new ground breaking tech, and are meant to last you a greater number of years. Helmets, race wheels, frames, group sets, these are the big purchases of the gear world that keep me up at night.
And..the bike computer. Its a relatively simple device. It needs to have a screen you can see in multiple light levels, the battery should last longer than your typical ride (or two or three), and it should be able to connect to any sensors you might have on your body or on your bicycle. And it MUST work and sync and not lose data. Anything else usually falls under the "gimmick" category for me. LEDs that light up sometimes? Controlling your smart trainer? Turn by turn directions on a tiny screen you can barely see? These are features that look great in advertising but you hardly use.
In steps the Hammerhead Karoo. A device who's entire existence is defined by its gimmicks. But what if they actually pay off?
The Karoo looks like a typical bike computer, albeit a little big (ok, very very big). Its got a screen with some buttons on the side. The screen is multi-touch screen as well, making the device easier to interact with than a normal bike computer. Its also extremely bright and super easy to see in all sorts of different light conditions. The buttons, should you choose to use them for some reason, are offset on both sides preventing you from accidentally pressing the button opposite the one you are meaning to press.
The hardware definitely feels like a prototype, but a really good one. Its bigger than I would want. The bezel around the screen looks a little outdated in 2020 (compared to cell phones and tablets, more on this later...). The thing is heavy and chunky so prepare to get bullied by your friends about it. All that being said, it feels extremely solid and well built. But the real magic happens inside the computer.
The device isn't running some hand built weird proprietary software (like all the others), but, instead has opted for Android — yes the very same OS running on most cell phones around the world. The Karoo is an actual Android tablet. This means things like wifi, bluetooth, and other network connectivity are extremely reliable. This also means finding good software developers is easier for the company. All this translates to a computer that just works all on its own. No need for a weird bluetooth connected companion app to do upgrades or edit configuration. The touch screen and Android OS base system allows you to do everything right on the dang thing itself. Want to rearrange your sensor readings? Want to set up a connection to Strava? Want to connect to a new WiFi? Want to plan a route using a map interface identical to the one on your phone? Does the device have a software upgrade? Do it all on the device. It's actually incredible and sets a super high bar for how all bike computer software should behave.
Using the Karoo for typical rides and races is pretty neat. Its big screen makes it easy to see your normal stuff you're used to seeing. But where the Karoo really shines is when you want to do a little exploring. The map and routing features are already packed full of improvements over other computers. With the explosion of gravel, the need for a real high quality maps and interaction in the worst conditions is huge. I plan on using the Karoo for all our upcoming gravel/adventure events in 2020.
Photo: @gratstagram
Photo: @gratstagram
Of course, being a new entrant in a game dominated by two or three big existing companies is scary and hard. There are for sure some things that can be better about the Karoo, almost all of them are software based. With the foundation built on Android and the ease of upgrades and use so far, I have tons of confidence in the Hammerhead team being able to move faster than their older siblings.
In a category filled with iterations on 20 year old tech, Hammerhead has really set a new level for what a bike computer should be able to do and has demonstrated how important high quality software is. You should expect more from your bike computer.
Hammerhead Karoo Pros:
huge easy to see screen in all light conditions
touchscreen! Like actually a real touchscreen. You can do everything on the device itself.
wifi, bluetooth, (and even a spot for a sim card) all powered with Android; so it just works
Turn by turn navigation is awesome, best I've ever used on a bike.
Build routes using links to other people's Strava rides, or just upload a GPX from other services. It all syncs to the device wildly fast and easily.
Hammerhead Karoo Cons (but fixable with software):
Doesn't seem like I can send my preprogrammed workouts to the thing. I expect this to be fixed or built eventually.
Built in route planning isn't as good (or safe) as dedicated services.
No zoom on data screens, something I got used to with the Wahoo Bolt.
It seems like the only automatic upload to external service supported is Strava. I need to log on to manually sync with Training Peaks.
Hammerhead Karoo Cons (device specific):
No beeping. I know it seems small but with the turn by turn navigation and preprogrammed workouts, the beeping means you can keep your eyes on the road and not down at the screen.
It is big and heavy and chunky
Disclaimer: this Hammerhead Karoo was purchased as part of Hammerhead’s big black Friday sale.
Header photo taken by @gratstagram
I like British cars, American guitars, Chinese food, and Italian bikes.
